•Act from principle.
•Begin where you are.
•Define your aim simply, clearly, briefly.
•Establish the possible and move gradually towards the impossible.
•Exercise commitment, and all the rules change.
•Honor necessity. Honor sufficiency.
•Offer no violence.
•Suffer cheerfully.
•Take our work seriously, but not solemnly.
(Originally, there were ten; I removed the one that mentioned music specifically, partly because these aren't music-specific principles, and partly because I didn't like it nearly as much as the other nine.)
(Similar crafty nuggets of thought can be found here. Yeah, only one appears at a time, but keep clicking on "Aphorisms"and you'll get fresh ones.)
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I really enjoyed these nine principles. I feel that they are really applicable to our daily work and struggle through each class we have. Especially since we are starting out in a new environment they are especially important to take into consideration. Looking at the begin where you are at and suffer cheerfully, they seem to apply to the beginning of each new exercise brought into our path but then after a few repetitions it flows into the exercise commitment and all the rules change, and establish the possible and move gradually towards the impossible.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very centering list and it allows me and I'm sure many others as well to realize that they are not alone in the frustrations they encounter. Our work is one of the utmost difficulties. Constantly pushing our bodies to new extremes while fatigue plays on our muscles and we command them to work at their peak for an hour and forty minutes, I don't think everybody would have the drive. And our frustration seems so much deeper when we can't figure out a combination or do a lift correctly, but if everyone could just look at this list i feel that everything would be put back in perspective and the work would no longer be quite as frustrating.
-Modern IA KSU
It seems that we explore many of these principles in Improvisation class as well as Modern I-A. In Modern I-A Barbara is always telling us to make a choice, whether it's wrong or right, which goes along with the third principle: Define your aim simply, clearly, briefly. In Alicia's class, there is a tone of being serious, but we aren't solemn-we are having fun! This goes along with the ninth principle. We also work together in improv and grow, which follows the seventh principle because no violence is involved in class. In Improv and Modern we follow many of these principles because they help someone grow as an artist and person.
ReplyDelete-Jessica Kraft-Modern I-A
I very much agree with what both Colleen and Jessie had to say about this post. Sometimes it does seem like you are the only one having trouble, and seeing something like this does give me reassurance that i'm not alone in my struggles and what I do. Although I have to admit that I don't exactly understand the principle about suffering cheerfully. Not that it doesn't make some sort of sense, but something seems odd about the fact that one should be cheerful while suffering. I don't know. On the other hand, if this is what it means, it makes sense not to blow things out of proportion and getting upset simply because it's not going the way you planned. Anyway, I did enjoy the message of this entry and each principle would be very helpful to remember simply because we do in fact use them every day.
ReplyDelete-Jordan Deckert KSU Modern 1-A
So I kind of agree on some of the nine principles and some I don't agree with. I guess that ties into your own definition of "craft". "Craft" can be numerous things, but when applying these things to dance I believe that you can offer violence, it just depends on the delivery of things. Most of us dance wit emotion and not always a focus on technique...(well at least I know I do), and for me I can be a very angry person at times and might want to offer movement that signifies violence, but I would not literally "hit" another person..lol. For myself I follow these priciples in specific ways, and to me I believe that most of them tie into each other, therefore there would be no need to have nine principles..honestly you can minimize it down to 3. But I did enjoy looking at you view things when pertaining to our class.
ReplyDelete~Chatiera Ray~
I really like these 9 principles as I can see how they can specifically apply to a dancer. I really liked the one about establishing the possible and move towards the impossible. With dance, almost anything is possible. We are constantly moving towards what our bodies will allow up to achieve and one we have achieve this, we move on to the next. The impossible is always in our minds of what we can achieve next and how we can work to get to this point. I agree with Jessie when she said in improv we work as a class to achieve our aim. I completely agree as we are not only trying to achieve past our own boundaries but also boundaries as a whole. I think at some point or another every dancer who is having trouble with a combination or step can look around the room and think they're the only ones who are having trouble. These principles help to put this in perspective that we are not alone. Although someone may be getting something you aren't, they may have trouble with something you understand. These principles put into perspective and perhaps make you think of your frustrations.
ReplyDeleteAshley Deck- Modern IA
I also really enjoyed these principles. Like everyone else said it really applies to us as dancers. My favorites were: Establish the possible and move gradually towards the impossible, Suffer cheerfully, and Take our work seriously, but not solemnly. Without trying new things your potential will never increase. Although our craft is a hard one without optimism our "suffering" would never pay off. I definitely agree that we need to take our work seriously, but there is definitely a line there. When people act too serious you can take criticisms too hard and life definitely needs to be as carefree as it can be. These principles definitely help understanding a craft.
ReplyDelete-Devon Edkins Modern I-A
As I read through the principles, I found myself treating it almost as a checklist. I asked myself which of these do I apply to my life? Which of these could I strive toward? Would it make me a better dancer? I think all of these principles apply to not only dance but to every goal in life. You must first begin with what you have, set your goals, strive for your goals, commit yourself, and take it seriously. These principles are helpful and a nice reminder of where you are, where you are going, and how to get there.
ReplyDeleteOne principle really stood out to me: Establish the possible and move gradually towards the impossible. It is always important to be realistic and establish what is possible and what goals are logical. However, it is important to always reach beyond those goals, to strive for the best you can be, to never just settle for what is possible.
I also really like the principle:Exercise commitment, and all the rules change. Commitment is such an important part of dance. Commitment changes everything. Commitment is essential in the dance industry. With constant criticism and rejection, persistence and commitment are often the only things that keep a dancer going.
I think every dancer, and every person for that matter, can take something from these principles. They really apply to not only to the art of dance, but to the art of life. I am going to keep these principles somewhere I can look back on them from time to time and remind myself where I am, where I am going, and how I am going to get there.
-Molly Sullivan, Modern I-A
"Take our work seriously, but not solemnly."
ReplyDeleteThis principle stood out the most for me. The dance world, as I'm sure we all know, is a cut-throat, competitive career field. It takes a strong-willed, determined individual to really excel in this business, so to take our work seriously is a must. For me, any dance class is when I enter my "serious" (ipod) mode. It is when I try to forget about everything that is going on and focus strictly on what is presented in class. Maybe yes there is a fine line between being too serious, and yes life should be carefree because it is too short to live unhappily. There needs to be that seriousness though to stay focused. Criticism and corrections in class is the only was to get better. In my mind, once I receive a correction, the only way I can fix it is if I say to myself "ok do it again and if it isn't right the second time, do it again, do it over and over again until it is right." Obviously, I take corrections very seriously. I take everything in class very seriously because it is the only way I improve. Having the balance between getting work done, and finding time to relax out of the work mode is hard I think. I feel like this was just rambling but thats whats up.
The nine principles are pretty cool. However, I think the most important principle is 'suffer cheerfully'...
ReplyDeleteI know a Lot of people who (in dance) beat themselves up for not understanding a combination,choreography or a specific technique. I think people need to realize that Everything wont be perfect and great all the time. There are things we need to work on and other things that could use some polishing as well. We should just accept what challenges us and know that it is meant to help us grow stronger.
"Suffer cheerfully"...I'll take that myself.